China News Agency, Beijing, June 15th. The National Health Commission of China and the State Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine recently issued the "Guidelines for the Diagnosis and Treatment of Monkeypox (2022 Edition)", requiring that once a suspected or confirmed case of monkeypox is found, the relevant requirements should be followed in a timely manner. Report, and make every effort to organize medical treatment work to effectively protect the lives and health of the people.

　　The Guide points out that the main source of monkeypox infection is rodents infected with monkeypox virus.

Primates (including monkeys, chimpanzees, humans, etc.) can also become sources of infection after infection.

Viruses enter the human body through mucous membranes and broken skin.

Humans are mainly infected by contact with infected animal lesion exudates, blood, and other body fluids, or by being bitten or scratched by infected animals.

　　It is mainly transmitted through close contact between people, and it can also be transmitted through droplets. Contact with virus-contaminated items may also be infected, and it can also be transmitted vertically through the placenta.

Sexual transmission cannot be ruled out.

The population is generally susceptible.

There is a certain degree of cross-protection against monkeypox virus in people who have been vaccinated against smallpox in the past.

　　According to the "Guide", the incubation period of monkeypox is 5 to 21 days, mostly 6 to 13 days.

In the early stage of the disease, chills and fever occur, and the body temperature is mostly above 38.5 ℃, which may be accompanied by symptoms such as headache, lethargy, fatigue, back pain and myalgia.

Most patients present with swollen lymph nodes in the neck, armpits, and groin.

A rash develops 1 to 3 days after onset.

　　Monkeypox is a self-limiting disease with a good prognosis in most cases.

Severe cases are common in young children and immunocompromised people, and prognosis is related to the viral branch of infection, degree of virus exposure, previous health status, and severity of complications.

The case fatality rate in the West African branch is about 3%, and the case fatality rate in the Congo Basin branch is about 10%.

　　The "Guide" pointed out that there is currently no specific anti-monkeypox virus drug in China, mainly symptomatic support and treatment of complications.

In terms of symptomatic and supportive treatment, bed rest, pay attention to supplement nutrition and water, and maintain water and electrolyte balance.

For those with high body temperature, physical cooling is the main method. If the temperature exceeds 38.5 °C, antipyretic analgesics should be given to reduce fever, but attention should be paid to prevent prostration caused by profuse sweating.

　　Keep the skin, mouth, eyes and nose clean and moist, and avoid scratching the skin at the rash to avoid secondary infection.

Analgesics can be given if the pain at the rash site is severe.

　　In terms of the treatment of complications, effective antibiotics should be given in the case of secondary bacterial infection of the skin, and adjustments should be made according to the isolation and identification of pathogenic bacteria and the results of drug susceptibility.

Prophylactic use of antimicrobials is not recommended.

When corneal lesions appear, eye drops, supplemented with vitamin A and other treatments can be applied.

When encephalitis occurs, sedation, dehydration and intracranial pressure reduction, and airway protection are given.

　　In terms of traditional Chinese medicine treatment, according to the principles of TCM "reviewing the causes and treating them" and "three causes and adjusting measures", the treatment is based on syndrome differentiation.

Patients with clinical symptoms of fever are recommended to use Shengma Gegen Decoction, Shengma Biejia Decoction, Zixue Powder, etc.; patients with clinical symptoms of high fever, dense acne, sore throat, and multiple lymphadenopathy are recommended to use Qingying Decoction, Shengma Biejia Decoction, Xuanxue Powder, etc. Bai Chengqi Soup, etc.

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